Recent Decisions From the Louisiana Supreme Court

IN RE RANDAL ALANDRE TOASTON (Baton Rouge), 2017-B-0702, (9/6/17):  The Court permanently disbarred the respondent for failing to update his primary registration address with the LSBA, failing to provide competent representation to clients, providing services outside of the scope of the representations, neglecting legal matters, failing to communicate with clients, failing to refund unearned fees, withdrawing cash from his client trust account in excess of $50,000, overdrawing his client trust account, failing to maintain records of his client trust account, failing to fulfill his obligations upon termination of representation, failing to make reasonable efforts to expedite litigation, submitting duplicative or untimely pleadings to the courts, allowing a client’s lawsuit to be dismissed as abandoned, practicing law while ineligible to do so, engaging in dishonest conduct, engaging in criminal conduct, and failing to cooperate with the ODC in several investigations.

IN RE ALVIN A. JOHNSON, JR. (New Orleans), 2017-B-1011, (9/6/17):  The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day, fully deferred, for failing to timely remit funds owed to a client, failing to account for funds belonging to a client, allowing his client trust account to become overdrawn, and taking cash withdrawals from his client trust account.

Consent Discipline:

IN RE CATHERINE L. STAGG (Lake Charles), 2017-B-1087, (9/6/17):  The Court publicly reprimanded the respondent for negligently violating Rules of Professional Conduct 1.2 (scope of the representation), 1.4 (failure to communicate with a client), and 5.3 (responsibilities regarding nonlawyer assistants).

IN RE ELBERT LEE GUILLORY (Opelousas), 2017-B-1128, (9/6/17):  The Court publicly reprimanded the respondent for neglecting a client’s legal matter.

IN RE TODD A. HARRIS (Mansura), 2017-B-0726, (9/15/17):  The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day, with all but six months deferred, based upon his arrest for alcohol-related misconduct on several occasions.

IN RE ALEXANDRA E. MORA (New Orleans), 2017-B-1318, (9/15/17):  The Court suspended the respondent for six months, fully deferred, for commingling client funds with her personal funds.

IN RE JALONDA MARIE MORRIS (New Orleans), 2017-B-1471, (9/22/17):  The Court suspended the respondent for six months for neglecting a legal matter and failing to communicate with a client.

IN RE SPENCER BRIMMER BOWMAN (Baton Rouge), 2017-B-1472, (9/22/17):  The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day, fully deferred, based upon his arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Permanent Resignation in Lieu of Discipline:

IN RE PHILIP T. DEAL (Monroe), 2017-B-1337, (9/22/17).